Confession

Well I didn't make those strawberry cupcakes, like I said I would over the weekend, after all.

I was all set on doing them until my sister Maggie came over and we started looking up Donna Hay's other recipes on her site.


We saw PAVLOVA Cupcakes and HAD to make them- immediately.I have a confession.I have a Pavlova obsession.

So we got out the Martha Stewart cupcake holders from Michael's, grabbed the fresh eggs and went to it.




I improvised a bit- I did not have passion fruit- but I did have strawberries so strawberry sauce it was.




They don't look all that great- but they were fantastic- the cake tasted very much like Kentucky Butter Cake and the meringue was amazing.

One thing for all you Americans- she say 320F but don't listen- use 350F instead.

And I can't forget the three poochies- who , just like my children , love to lick the bowl...


From Donna Hay


Pavlova Cupcakes

* 125g butter, softened
* ⅔ cups (150g) caster (superfine) sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 eggs
* 1 cup (150g) self-raising (self-rising) flour
* ½ cup (125ml) milk
* icing (confectioner's) sugar, for dusting

meringue

* 2 eggwhites
* ½ cup (110g) caster (superfine) sugar
* ½ teaspoon white vinegar

passionfruit syrup

* ¼ cup (60ml) passionfruit pulp*
* ¼ cup (55g) caster (superfine) sugar
* ¼ cup (60ml) water

Preheat oven to 160°C (320ºF-DONT do 350 instead).

I replaced strawberries for the passionfruit...

To make the passionfruit syrup, place the passionfruit pulp, sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 6–8 minutes or until thickened. Set aside.
To make the meringue, place the eggwhites in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and vinegar and beat until the mixture is thick and glossy. Set aside.
Place the butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy. Gradually add the eggs and beat well. Sift over the flour and beat until combined. Stir in the milk. Spoon the mixture into a 12 x ½ cup-capacity muffin tin lined with cupcake papers. Top with a tablespoon of meringue mixture and bake for 15 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool.
To make the passionfruit syrup, . Spoon over the cupcakes to serve. Makes 12.
* When buying passionfruit, look for small fruit with deep purple skin which is quite leathery and wrinkled. This indicates ripeness. Panama passionfruit, which are slightly larger and have a less tart flavour than the regular variety, do not have wrinkled skin when ripe. Choose panama passionfruit which feel heavy for their size. You will need about 3 passionfruit for ¼ cup pulp or you can buy canned passionfruit pulp from supermarkets.